Dressing Room Dialogue – Body Love
‘I am not of my body but I love her.’
Working in fashion in the last year I have heard so many women talk about how much they hate their bodies. It hurts me to hear it because as a woman I understand. It hurts because I know what it’s like to put ourselves down each time we look in the mirror. From very young we are trained to see a pre-formed idea of what perfection is to be a beauty. Words like ‘too fat’, ‘I hate my arms’, ‘I have to hide my bum’, ‘I couldn’t wear that now’, and even ‘oh no I can’t buy size 8 I only do size 6!’ Whaaaaaaat!??? I hear something from every second woman and the other half I can see them thinking it. Yes, there is the odd women who are full of confidence but usually, they are fitting into the standard societal paradigm of what is acceptable for ‘beautiful’. And there is the rare woman who is just beautiful truth because she is and walks it.
Queen warriors please set aside this bullshit idea that you need to look a certain way to be beautiful. Yes the patterning is deep and everything around us keeps us in that patterning but we are stronger than the outside. Each time you look in the mirror smile. Be thankful for this amazing body that you were given to walk, run, hug, bear children and dance under the moon.
Yes, I too still work with body image for even just a few years ago my body was fit and fine according to societal standards. Now as I get older and life moving with much, I learn to accept her curves, her changes for she now is more soft and sexy.
Yes keep healthy, exercise your body with love, not hate, eat nourishing foods, drink water, get a massage but mostly talk to your body like you would a very supportive and strong friend.
For she is always here for us.
Dressing Room Dialogue
I am not of my body, but I love her for she is part of me. Her beauty, her strength her power has guided my many steps and shows me what it is to be human. To be woman.
She has shown me exhaustion and pain, sadness and grief, she has given me the feeling of excitement and joy, the loving touch of one and the curse of another, the ability to hug a friend in need and hold the ones I love dearly.
My beautiful body has been admired, loved, ridiculed and abused, for she is how I am judged by many. Little do they know the judgment starts from within and how harshly we judge ourselves.
She has endured my hate, my words of disgust and anger, the thoughts of not being enough, or look like the others who are so beautiful. She has felt the determination as I tried to control how I feel with food and the endurance as I try to exercise the pain away.
But she continues to support me. To love me and to help me through this life.
I think the time is now, to say I love you, dear friend. For all the support, love, kindness, and strength you have given me through this life. We still have a long way to go and it is just now, at 47, that I understand you are beautiful, you are strong, you are everything I need and more.
I vow to be better, to be kind to you, to listen to you when you are in need, to rest when you ask me too, to smile and thank you for the day at work, for being there to express my unique ways of dressing, for allowing me to be all I can be because of your support, uniqueness, and love.
I now say to you my dear body, I am sorry for all I have put you through, please forgive me. Thank you for being there for me every step of the way. I love you.
In Light
Angie xx